QCan a collection agency take me to court for non-payment?

This is the situation , my boyfriend came in very bad current account , because your check was not deposited in the bank until the next day and not know it. Well , we do not receive the returned check , which is kind of good, because there would be a lot of legal issues . We have recently begun to receive letters in the mail from a collection agency . I am currently unemployed and have no way to pay for them and while I was working I would take the time to pay them, because some of them with charges . Can the collection agency take me to court for non-payment ? Will I go to jail for this? I'm really scared and I 'm too poor to pay for it .